Illuminating projectile.



No. 668,222. Patehted Feb. l9, I901.

W. H. ROSE.

ILLUMINATING PROJEGTILE.

(Application filed Apr. 7, 1899.)

Ulo Modal.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. Rose, or

CITY, OF MARYLAND.

TORCH COMPANY OF BALTIMORE ILLUMINATING PROJECTILE.-

srncxmcncrron forming part of Letters Patent No.

668,222, dated February 19, 1901.

Application filed A ril '7, 1899. Serial No. 712,165. on model.)

To albwham it may concern:

Be it known that I,WI IAM H. Rose, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improve merits in Illuminating Projectiles, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to improvements in that class. of projectiles which are charged with carbid of calcium or other gasgen'erating substances adapted to produce illuminating-gas when the shell is thrown into the water, andmore particularly to means for igniting the gas as it is liberated from the shell through a series of burners.

The invention will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a central longitudinal section of a shell illustrating my invention. Fig. 2'is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section through the igniting-burner. Fig. 4 is a similar section through a difierent form of burner, and Fig. 5 is a section on line a a of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a cylindrical shell, having a gas-chamber 2, a carbid-chamber 3 below the gas-chamber, and a weight 4 attached to the lower end and adapted .to cause the shell to float in a perpendicnlar position. 'The gas and the carbid chambers are separated by a perforated partition 5, which permits water to run from the former chamber 'to' the latter and the liberated gas to escape from the carbid-chamber. In the gas-chamber, just above the perforated partition, are openings 6 to permit water to pass into the gas-chamber.

On the upper end of the gas-chamber are a seriesof burners 8, preferably arranged in a circie, as shown. any. suitable construction. To protect the burners, the casing of the shell is preferably carried beyond. the end 9 in the form of a flange 10,- as clearly seen in Fig. 1.

The igniting-burner is suitably located to communicate its flame to the burners 8. As shown, the igniting-burner llis located adjacent to the burners 8 at one side of the cen! These burners may be of-- ter of the shell. In Fig. 3 the details of the igniting-burner are illustrated. The burner proper, 12, is provided with a shank 13, which may be screwed into the'end plate 9 of the shell, as shown in Fig. l. I To govern the flow 'of gas, and thereby prevent it fromcooling the resistance-wire, the burner is provided with a diaphragm 14, having asmall opening 15. The outlet of the burner is preferably covered with perforated material, such as fine wire-gauze. The burner is surrounded and protected by a stout cylindrical casing 17, which is preferably constructed of insulating material, such as vulcanized fiber or porcelain, the casing being securely fastened to, theburner by any suitable means. The casing 17-is designed for the purpose of holding and protecting the terminals 18 'of a circuit 19, which is furnished withcurrent by a battery 20. The battery is located in a receptacle 21, which,.as shown, is'connected "to the head 9 of the gas-chamber. The receptacle 21 may be closed to protect the battery by means of a suitable cover 22. The protecting-casing 17 may be provided with openings 23 near and preferably below the tip of the igniting-burner 11 to permit water to drain away from the burner, or the interior'of the casing may be grooved to provide drainageopenings 23", as shown in Fig. 4.. This latter construction is preferable, as thereby the resistance-wire is protected from the cooling eifect of wind. The gauze tip 16 prevents the water from rushing into the burner. To protect the resistance-wire and the end of the burner and to prevent the flame from being blown out by wind,.the casing 17 isrpreferably extended some distance above the tip of the burner and may be partially inclosed or covered. For conveuience'of construction the upper portion of the casing may be made in the form of a separate ring 24, which may be attached to the lower portion by means of screws or other suitablefastenings 25. The terminals 18 are connected by a fine resistance-wire 26, which is heated to a suitable degree by the passage of the current from the battery. The wire 26 lies above the gauze;

outlet of the burner and is protected by the upper portion of the casings In some instances an ordinary burner may be used,-in

which event the resistance-wire will be placed above and to one side of the gauze tip, so as to avoid the cooling eifect of the large outflow of gas.

The operation of the invention will be obvious from the preceding description. When the shell is thrown into water, it assumes an upright position by reason of the Weight 4 being at one end and the empty gas-chamber at the other, and itfloats, with the burners, above the surface of the water. rushes in through the opening 6, and immediately acetylene gas is formed, which fills the gaB-chambetz- Any waterwhich may have gathered within the protecting-flange 10 is permitted to escape through openings 27. The gas flows through all of the burners 8 and also through the igniting-burner 11. The current from the battery heats the wire 26 and ignites the gas from the burner 11, and immediately the gas issuing from the other burners becomes ignited and the shell forms a brilliant torch, which .will light up any vessels or other objects in the vicinity.

Having described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s v 1 1. The combination with a buoyant shell having a gas-chamber, -of a gas-burner in communication with said chamber, an electric battery carried by the shell, and an igniting device for the burner in circuit with r the battery.

2. The combination with a buoyant shell having a gas-chamber, of a burner communieating with said chamber, an electric battery carried bythe shell,' a circuit for said battery having its terminals ad acent to the burner,

and a resistance-wire connecting said terminals and located in position, to ignite the gas issuing from the burner..

The water,

3. The combination with a buoyant shell having a gas-chamber, of anigniting-burner, a casing surrounding said burner, a battery carried by the shell, and an igniting-wire for the burner Within and protected by the catscasing of insulating materialsurrounding the burner, a battery having its terminals supported and protected by said casing, and an igniting-wire connecting said terminals and. located adjacent to the burner in position -to ignite the gas issuing therefrom;

5. The combination with a buoyant shell having a gas-.cham ber, of an igniting-burner in communication with said gas-chamber, a protecting-casing surrounding the burner and extending above the same, a perforated cover for the burner to prevent water from enteringin quantity, and openings in the cas ing below the burner-tip to drain the water from the casing.

6. The combination with a buoyant shell having a gas-chamber, of a series of burners arranged on the end of the shell, a flange surrounding and protecting the burners, an igniting-burner also arranged onthe end of the shell, a battery,-and a casing surrounding the igniting-burner, the terminals of the battery-circuit being carried by said casing and connected to an igniting-wire located adjacent to the burner-tip, substantially as described.

-In testimony whereof I affix in presence of two witnesses...

WILLIAM H. ROSE.- l/Vitnesses:

JAMES AJJoHNsoN', CHARLES H. MILLIKIN.

buoyant shell my signature 8o 

